Bowen Icon Cancer Centre is celebrating five years of providing cancer care and support for local patients and their loved ones.

In those five years, the team have delivered over 8500 radiation therapy, medical oncology and haematology treatment and cared for almost 2000 patients during their cancer journeys.

Since opening in 2017, the team have been determined to make state-of-the-art treatments and technology available at the centre.

In 2019 Bowen Icon Cancer Centre became the first in New Zealand to treat patients using Varian’s HyperArc technology.

This technology delivers precise radiation therapy and enables a patient’s cancer treatment to be delivered with greater efficiency, accuracy and comfort.

The team have been offering free lymphoedema screening for breast cancer patients, with over 150 people screened in 12 months.

Bowen Icon Cancer Centre were the first private facility to introduce a nurse prescriber role.

“It is a pleasure to lead the team at Bowen. From a small team of five, we have grown to over 20 team members, with everyone committed to the delivery of world class cancer care. The individualised approach provided to our very first patients is still evident five years on, with the team always going above and beyond to ensure patients and their whānau feel supported every step of the way during their cancer journey. There have been some wonderful firsts in New Zealand that the team has been involved in and we are continually looking for ways to improve our service to benefit our patients,” said Bowen Icon Cancer Centre Site Manager, Darien Montgomerie.

Paraparaumu Beach local, Sarah Ford was one of the first patients treated at Bowen Icon Cancer Centre following a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis at just 35-years-old.

Sarah and her husband Richard moved from the UK to New Zealand in 2016.

“I noticed a concave in my left breast, so I went to a GP to get it checked. The GP told me that I was being silly and I was too young to worry about breast cancer. I had a feeling something wasn’t right, so I insisted on a referral to a specialist to have an ultrasound or a mammogram done.

Sarah underwent four rounds of chemotherapy at Bowen Icon Cancer Centre under the care of Medical Oncologist, Dr Kate Clarke. She credits the support of Richard and the Icon team for getting her through the many side effects she experienced during chemotherapy.

“It was hard for Richard. He is great in a crisis but because it’s just the two of us, he had to do everything. He had to carry me to the bathroom as I couldn’t even walk during the weeks I had chemotherapy. I am so grateful for his support. The team at Icon were amazing too. My chemotherapy nurse, Paul was fantastic. He kept me entertained throughout my treatment. He gave me a button to press that said “no” for when things got a little too hard and gave me a little mascot (the White Walkers from Game of Thrones) for a laugh. We’d eat cake and drink tea. When I go back for my yearly check-up appointments, Paul remembers me, which is lovely. It’s a strange thing to say but I’m glad I met these wonderful people, despite the challenging circumstances. For me to be able to look back on the most traumatic period of my life and still find moments where I laughed and smiled is down to the incredible team at Bowen,” Sarah said.

Bowen Icon Cancer Centre is a partnership between Icon Group – Australia’s largest dedicated cancer care provider and Evolution Healthcare – a leading provider of healthcare services in New Zealand and Australia. The centre proudly delivers care to the Wellington community and beyond. Bowen Icon Cancer Centre is the only fully integrated private cancer facility for oncology outpatients throughout the Wellington region and beyond, providing the latest in treatment technology including advanced radiation therapy, chemotherapy and treatment for blood disorders.